Wearable training device for pitching

ABSTRACT

A movement assessment apparatus in the form of a wearable training apparatus for pitching is provided. The apparatus has a wearable form embodying a transducer device operatively associated with an engagement point along the external surface of the wearable form. A patch may externally cover and thus identify this engagement point. In use, so that when the wearable form is worn on the forearm below the elbow of a human wearer, wherein the patch is facing up and turned slightly inwards, the transducer device will produce a sound when compressed between the forearm and back side of the rib cage of the wearer. This intersection of the forearm and back side of the rib cage is indicative of proper pitching form.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisionalapplication No. 63/186,893, filed 11 May 2021, the contents of which areherein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to wearable training devices and, moreparticularly, a wristband configured to provide immediate feedback, suchas an audible sound, when the arm moves in a pitching motion deemedproper.

Softball players risk injury if they are not moving their arm properly,in a natural body motion, when they pitch. Good softball pitcherstypically hold their arm straight and rotate their pitching arm aroundtheir shoulder joints to pitch. Such a motion enables a straight pitchthat does not risk injury to the pitcher's arm. Accordingly, to throw asoftball straight and safely it is important that the pitcher maintainthe movement of their pitching arm during the pitch in the verticalplane.

Currently, for fast-pitch softball, pitching instructors must take slowmotion videos to see if the pitcher is indeed using proper form—i.e.,keeping their arm motion along the vertical plane. And as a result, asignificant amount of time is used up during a lesson by the instructorwatching replays. Since many youth instructors are not employed fulltime to teach one player, the limited time an instructor dedicates to aplay involves them watching such replays, depriving the novice pitcherand instructor the time that could be spent on the other fundamentals ofpitching, the sport generally, or related teachings. As a corollary,parents paying for instructions are paying a significant amount moneyfor the instructor to spend time watching replays.

Moreover, to properly and accurately underhand pitch, the pitcher mustbe able to consistently control the direction of the ball prior to itsrelease point. Furthermore, when underhand pitching, the inner forearmshould graze, brush against, or otherwise tangentially contact aspecific region of the pitcher's lower body. The specific region isadjacent the hip and lower rib cage area or adjacent lateral portions oftheir body.

Accordingly, to better train people to safely and accurately underhandpitch, a person must practice moving their arm only in the verticalplane prior to releasing the softball.

As can be seen, there is a need for a wearable device for the arm of thepitcher, wherein the wearable device is configured to produce an audiblesound or other immediate feedback when the arm engages in a proper formor pitching motion during at least a portion of the underhand pitchingprocess. The wearable device can be embodied in a wristband, thoughother wearables that engage the pitching arm are contemplated by thepresent invention.

As a result of this immediate feedback, when the pitching motion iscorrect, both the instructor and student know immediately if thepitching motion was performed the correct way. Thereby, the immediatefeedback teaches the user how to move their arm in a safe an efficientway during the pitching process, as opposed to after the fact duringfilm study. There are no other devices like this out there which isunfortunately leading young pitchers to not perform correctly and riskinjury.

By practicing the pitching motion, the audible indication/feedback willconfirm and teach proper pitching arm motion, and relative position ofthe arm with respect to the lateral, midportion of the body, during theunderhand softball pitching process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a method of teaching underhandpitching of a softball, the method includes the following: providing awearable adapted to receive an arm of a human wearer; and placing awearable below an elbow of the human wearer, wherein the wearable has anengagement point facing up and slightly inwards, and wherein theengagement point is operatively associated with a transducer configuredto convert a force to an audible sound; and further attaching a visualindicium over the engagement point, wherein the visual indiciumprotrudes beyond an exterior surface of the wearable by up toapproximately one-quarter of an inch, wherein the visual indicium is apatch, and wherein the wearable is a wristband.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method of teachingunderhand pitching of a softball, the method includes the following:providing a wearable adapted to receive an arm of a human wearer,wherein the wearable has an engagement point, and wherein the engagementpoint is operatively associated with a transducer configured to converta force to an audible sound; and placing the wearable along the armadjacent the associated elbow so that the engagement point is facing upand slightly inwards so that when the arm moves in a vertical planethrough an underhand pitching motion the audible sound is produce,wherein the production of the audible sound is cause by contact of theengagement point against a back side of a rib cage of the human wearer.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, to device for trainingunderhand pitching, the device includes the following: a wearableadapted to receive an arm of a human wearer; an engagement point alongan exterior surface of the wearable; and the engagement point isoperatively associated with a transducer configured to convert a forceto an audible sound; and a visual indicium covering the engagement pointand the visual indicium protruding up to approximately a quarter inchtherefrom, wherein the wearable is a wristband, wherein the visualindicium is a patch, and wherein the transducer is fully embedded in thewristband.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, shown in use, illustrating proper placement of the wearabletraining device.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, shown in use, illustrating that as the full round arm swingof the pitch comes around, the engagement point 14 of the wearabletraining device 100 (in the represented embodiment, the engagement point14 is indicated by the patch 30) will contact against a lateral portionof the pitcher's body, around their lower rib cage and or hip area, ifthe pitcher's arm 50 is traveling in the vertical plane. At this momentof contact, the compressive force experienced by the engagement point 14will be converted into an audible sound by way of the transducer 20,thereby providing an audio indication by the pitcher has maintainedtheir pitching arm in the vertical plane throughout the pitching motion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a movementassessment apparatus in the form of a wearable training apparatus forsoftball pitching. The apparatus has a wearable form embodying atransducer device operatively associated with an engagement point alongthe external surface of the wearable form, wherein the transducerconverts a force into an audible sound wave. A patch may externallycover and thus identify this engagement point. In use, so that when thewearable form is worn on the forearm below the elbow of a human wearer,wherein the patch is facing up and turned slightly inwards, thetransducer device will produce a sound (or squeak) when compressedbetween the forearm and back side of the rib cage of the wearer. Thisintersection of the forearm and back side of the rib cage is indicativeof proper pitching form.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 6, the present invention may include awearable training device and system 100. The wearable training device100 may be dimensioned and adapted in a wearable form 10 capable ofbeing worn on an arm of a human user. In certain embodiments, thewearable form 10 may be in the form of an endless loop or wristband.

A transducer 20 may by operatively associated with the wearable form 10to enable the wearable training device and system 100. In certainembodiments, the transducer 20 is embodied, embedded, or otherwiseconnected inside the wearable form 10. By inside, it is understood thatthe transducer 20 is in the material or body of the wearable form 10, asopposed to a passageway 12 it defines for receiving an arm. Thetransducer is configured to make an audible sound when subjected to apredetermined force, pressure, or impact energy while embodied,embedded, or otherwise connected inside the wearable form 10.

The transducer 20 defines a lumen 22 and is configured to produce asound in response to air passing through the lumen 22. The transducer 20may have a body member 24 that may be of any shape or size if itfunctions as disclosed herein (including but not limited to fittinginside the wearable form 10). For example, in the illustratedembodiment, the body member 24 is in the form of a sphere or ball. Inother embodiments, the body member 24 may have a different shape, suchas a cube or other shape.

The body member 24 may be formed of a material that will return to itsoriginal shape or form once the squeezing or compression force isremoved from the body member 24. An extension portion 26 may extend fromthe body member 24, wherein the extension portion 26 the defines thelumen 22. The lumen 22 is configured to produce a sound in response toair passing through therethrough, wherein the air is urged throughcompression of the body member 24.

The wearable training device and system 100 may include a visualindicium 30, or patch, which is removably attachable along an exteriorsurface of the wearable form 10. The visual indicium 30 or patch isdimensioned and adapted to create a more solid surface when thetransducer 20 is place in the wearable form 10, directly under thevisual indicium 30. The visual indicium 30 or patch protrudes from theexterior surface of the wristband by approximately one-quarter of aninch, further facilitating the force signal that the transducer convertsto an audible sound wave when compressed between the forearm 50 and backside of the rib cage/hip area of the pitcher.

The proper placement of the wearable form 10 is straight down below theinside of the elbow and between the inside of the arm, as illustrated inFIG. 5. When worn correctly, upon impact of the engagement point 14, thetransducer 30 will make a sound to help the pitcher, instructor, andanyone (e.g., proud parent) in earshot realize that the pitcher used theproper throwing motion. Also, the visual indicia 30 gives the pitcher aspot to target, making it easier for them to visualize their target.Proper pitching mechanics are so important because when done the wrongway, underhand pitching can cause injury to the shoulder over time,especially when as the pitcher gets older and adds more mass to theirarm 50.

One method of manufacturing the present invention may include thefollowing. First, a manufacturer may gather a wristband 10, transducer20, and a patch big enough to cover the transducer 20. Then they couldheat-press a patch 30 onto the wristband 30 over the engagement pointalong an exterior of the wristband. Next, they may cut the inside of thewristband 10 just big enough to get the transducer 20 inside and setwith adhesive, such as hot glue. The final step is to then sew theincision made into the wristband shut.

One could possibly add some circuitry 40 in the wearable form 10 thatworks with a software application, wherein the circuitry 40 includessensors, accelerometers, and other electronic components to measureforce, motion, acceleration, and velocity of the moving wearable form10, and thus the arm 50 t is associated with.

A method of using the present invention may include the following. Thewearable training device and system 100 disclosed herein. The wearableform 10 must be placed on the forearm below the elbow and the patch 30critically must be facing up and turned slightly inwards to be used tothe best of its capabilities.

Additionally, there are other sports where a thrower hurls an objectunderhand, such as horseshoes, bowling, curling and bocce. The presentinvention would be a boon for these activities having a common underhandarm motion. Also, the present invention could possibly be used in othersports that would benefit from an audible indicator being heard along acertain point during an arm motion, such as when throwing the football.

As used in this application, the term “about” or “approximately” refersto a range of values within plus or minus 10% of the specified number.And the term “substantially” refers to up to 90% or more of an entirety.Recitation of ranges of values herein are not intended to be limiting,referring instead individually to any and all values falling within therange, unless otherwise indicated, and each separate value within such arange is incorporated into the specification as if it were individuallyrecited herein. The words “about,” “approximately,” or the like, whenaccompanying a numerical value, are to be construed as indicating adeviation as would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art tooperate satisfactorily for an intended purpose. Ranges of values and/ornumeric values are provided herein as examples only, and do notconstitute a limitation on the scope of the described embodiments. Theuse of any and all examples, or exemplary language (“e.g.,” “such as,”or the like) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminatethe embodiments and does not pose a limitation on the scope of theembodiments or the claims. No language in the specification should beconstrued as indicating any unclaimed element as essential to thepractice of the disclosed embodiments.

In the following description, it is understood that terms such as“first,” “second,” “top,” “bottom,” “up,” “down,” and the like, arewords of convenience and are not to be construed as limiting termsunless specifically stated to the contrary.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of teaching underhand pitching of asoftball, the method comprising: providing a wearable adapted to receivean arm of a human wearer; and placing a wearable below an elbow of thehuman wearer, wherein the wearable has an engagement point facing up andslightly inwards, and wherein the engagement point is operativelyassociated with a transducer configured to convert a force to an audiblesound.
 2. The method of claim 1, further attaching a visual indiciumover the engagement point.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the visualindicium protrudes beyond an exterior surface of the wearable by up toapproximately one-quarter of an inch.
 4. The method of claim 3, whereinthe visual indicium is a patch.
 5. The method of claim 3, wherein thewearable is a wristband.
 6. A method of teaching underhand pitching of asoftball, the method comprising: providing a wearable adapted to receivean arm of a human wearer, wherein the wearable has an engagement point,and wherein the engagement point is operatively associated with atransducer configured to convert a force to an audible sound; andplacing the wearable along the arm adjacent the associated elbow so thatthe engagement point is facing up and slightly inwards so that when thearm moves in a vertical plane through an underhand pitching motion theaudible sound is produce.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein theproduction of the audible sound is cause by contact of the engagementpoint against a back side of a rib cage of the human wearer.
 8. A devicefor training underhand pitching, the device comprising: a wearableadapted to receive an arm of a human wearer; an engagement point alongan exterior surface of the wearable; and the engagement point isoperatively associated with a transducer configured to convert a forceto an audible sound.
 9. The device of claim 8, further comprising avisual indicium covering the engagement point and the visual indiciumprotruding up to approximately a quarter inch therefrom.
 10. The deviceof claim 9, wherein the wearable is a wristband, wherein the visualindicium is a patch, and wherein the transducer is fully embedded in thewristband.